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Shloka 20

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

तेषु द्वौद्वावगृह्णीतामस्य हस्तावथापरे / द्वौद्वौ पादावगृह्णीतां मूर्धानं पञ्चमो ऽग्रहीत्

Transliteration

teṣu dvaudvāvagṛhṇītāmasya hastāvathāpare / dvaudvau pādāvagṛhṇītāṃ mūrdhānaṃ pañcamo 'grahīt

Translation

Unter ihnen ergriffen zwei seine Hände, zwei andere seine Füße, und der fünfte packte seinen Kopf.

Word by Word
तेषुamong them
तेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; संख्यावाचक
द्वौtwo (each pair)
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; संख्यावाचक (पुनरुक्ति—‘two and two’)
अगृह्णीताम्the two seized/held
अगृह्णीताम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्
अस्यof him/this one’s
अस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम
हस्तौ(his) two hands
हस्तौ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), द्विवचनम्
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्
द्वौtwo (each pair)
द्वौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), द्विवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति
पादौ(his) two feet
पादौ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), द्विवचनम्
अगृह्णीताम्the two seized
अगृह्णीताम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्
मूर्धानम्the head
मूर्धानम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्
पञ्चमःthe fifth (one)
पञ्चमः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक
अग्रहीत्seized
अग्रहीत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ+ग्रह्/गृह् (धातु)
Formलुङ्-लकारः (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Embodiment entails vulnerability; when protective merit/support is absent, one can be overpowered by hostile forces.

Vedantic Theme: Dehābhimāna (identification with the body) meets its limit; the body is an object that can be seized and controlled.

Application: Strengthen protective disciplines—ethical living, supportive networks, and devotional remembrance—so one is not ‘seized’ by impulses/hostile influences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: forest/wilderness

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana descriptions of beings binding/dragging victims (general motif in fear narratives)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yama's attendants (Yamadutas)

FAQs

This verse highlights their role as executors of Yama’s order—physically restraining and taking the departed onward in the post-death sequence described in the Preta Kanda.

It depicts the immediate, forceful transition: multiple attendants restrain the deceased (hands, feet, and head), indicating removal from ordinary bodily autonomy and the beginning of the escorted journey after death.

It serves as a reminder of life’s impermanence—encouraging dharmic conduct, timely repentance, and proper death-rites awareness (e.g., śrāddha and piṇḍa offerings) as taught in the Garuda Purana.

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